Imagine being able to walk outside after school and the sun is beaming down on your face. Your energy levels rise and happiness warms your body as it spreads from head to toe. You feel ready to accomplish what comes your way and joy is radiating from every pore on your face.

But as of Nov. 2, this is a reality not many of us have the pleasure of facing. Welcome to life without daylight saving time, where, instead of sunrays beaming as you walk from school, you see the darkness begin to creep in, taking all your hopes and dreams away with it.

As Britannica noted, daylight saving time is when we set the clocks forward to extended daylight hours in the summer months. But without it during the winter months, we get more light in the morning and less in the evening, especially as we transition into the cold, when daylight is already limited.

The only upside is that we gain an hour of sleep, but I would gladly sacrifice an hour for the rest of my happiness that ended when daylight saving time did. The random extra hour in November is not worth the many disruptions the end of daylight saving time causes.

There is no practical reason to change our clocks twice a year. Daylight saving time was first implemented “for additional daylight hours to be added into the day to help save energy costs during World War I,” wrote the U.S. Department of War.

This method works well, giving us daylight when we actually need it. Why do we need extra hours in the morning, when most of the morning is spent with people asleep, rather than in the afternoon, where productivity happens the most?

Americans have also spoken about preferring to keep daylight saving time rather than changing it. NPR reported that 56% of adults polled said they prefer permanent daylight saving time with less light in the morning and more light in the evening.

Logically, it makes no sense to stop daylight saving time and even the sun doesn’t want to experience the exhaustion of the day.

I wholeheartedly believe that darkness earlier in the day leads to a decrease in mental health. No one talks about how depressing it is to step outside at 4:45 p.m. and it already looks like midnight. How are we supposed to stay motivated when the sun clocks out before we can even finish our homework? The days feel shorter, but the responsibilities are longer.

With permanent daylight saving time, we will have sunlight during the times that actually matter after school, after work, after practice, that is when we need it the most. But instead, the sun rises for an audience of sleeping people who would barely get to see it.

Early darkness also affects our bodies. Northwestern Medicine explained, “When melatonin is overproduced during darker days, people can feel more lethargic…This decreases
alertness and overall cognitive function.”

Not having the right amount of sunlight throughout the day can make our bodies shut down and feel exhausted. Shorter daylight hours can mess with mood, energy and even contribute to seasonal depression.

Teenagers already battle stress, homework overload and sleep deprivation on top of it being cold outside. Why add another battle?

We can keep pretending that the twice-a-year switch still serves a purpose, or we can accept that our days run better when the sun is there to guide us. It’s time to stop resetting clocks and begin to reset priorities.